


Flowers are Ephemeral

by Triton (Frighten)



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Awkward Flirting, F/M, Family Bonding, Game!Geralt, Heartbreak, Lore rewrites, M/F Relationships, M/M, Magical World, Matrimonial Pursuits, Netflix!Jaskier - Freeform, Pining, Slow Burnish, author trying his best to convert witcher stuff to regency, clothing exposition, enemies to lovers if you squint, mean Emhyr, no homophobia/sexism, obviously, unbetad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27346015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frighten/pseuds/Triton
Summary: Jaskier learns that life is not a sweet song that can be sustained on passion and cheer alone. These days it takes deals, hard work, and marriage to make anything lasting. But maybe there's a compromise to be had.“I can feel it, Sweet Flower. There is a family for you yet that you will fit perfectly in. You can’t see it now, but they will come and you will feel that which you once felt with me in tenfold. And I know you will be happy."
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Kudos: 8





	1. Heartbreak #1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my Regency AU! Please see the tags for any warnings. In my mind I picture the pairing as Game!Geralt and Jaskier but you can imagine anything you like of course. I urge you to please leave any suggestions, feedback or notes in the comments. This is just for my own fun, but I'd like to improve my skills anyway. Thank you and enjoy.

Outside the door, he is anxious. He straightens his waistcoat with a pleasant thrum coursing through his fingers. The font of love inside of him is plentiful and spills over the closer he is in relation to his lover. His logic is whisked away with thoughts of adoration and loyalty. Yes, Jaskier is utterly in love with his muse. 

These are the thoughts in his head as he holds his white tophat with his hand against his side. He nods to the man servant next to him. The man had an understanding smile on his face. Mister Jaskier always liked a moment to take in the air just before he sees her. The single breath, or two if he’s feeling indulgent, ground him in the moment to fully appreciate what lies on the other side of the door.

It swings open and Jaskier spills into her receiving room. The inside is elegant with a large, wide window for the natural light and flowers on the table next to the silk sofa. His golden lady only has enough time to stand from said sofa before he is in her space with his arms outstretched. She smiles warmly and accepts his hug. 

“My muse, my golden lady of the stars, oh my darling, Priscilla!” He embraces her gently to not flatten the poofy sleeves of her dress. He kisses the side of her cheek and holds her hands to look at her. 

“Jaskier, I’m so glad you could make it, love,” Priscilla said with a sincere expression. The way Jaskier greets her would be scandalous if it were any other man, but Jaskier is known far and wide for his penchant for over familiarity. She delights in it. “I do hope you didn’t have to go too far out of your way.”

“I would travel continents on foot only to get you a glass of water should you ask it of me, dear heart. It was no trouble at all.”

She truly did look beautiful. Her little silk slippers poked out from under her pink dress. Blue, embroidered leaves trailed across the fabric and lace sat atop at the neckline which expanded into two huge sleeves. Her blonde hair was in ringlets with two small feathers poking out from behind. The beauty of her clothing contrasted to the kitting in her brows. 

“I didn’t keep you long, did I? Is everything alright?” Jaskier looks into her eyes. She evades his and shakes her head. 

“Everything is fine with me, don’t you worry. I just did in fact have something important to talk to you about today.” 

“I remember well! Come sit.” He directed them down onto the sofa, holding her hands all the while and speaking with a smile. “I wondered the whole way what it might be. It inspired me. I even wrote a new song, would you like to hear? I think it’s just the thing to cheer you right up!” 

“Oh Dandy, that would be great but-”

“I only have my voice right now, but it’s a shoddy musician that blames his tools, so it will have to do. Here, I’ll sing it to you now.” 

Jaskier starts a single note with his eyes closed, but he feels a finger press against his lips. He gives her his attention. 

“Jaksier. You know I love your music and debating the techniques afterwards, but I’m afraid the matter I have is just far too important. I shall spend the whole conversation stressing about it if I don’t just tell you upfront.” Jaksier slowly holds her hand from his lips and cradles it between them. 

“I’m sorry. You know how excited I get when we meet. I get so easily carried away in my love for you.” He kisses her hand and gives her a hopeful look. She can't help the fond sigh that escapes her when he acts this way. “I told the coachman to ride as fast as he could. My lady was calling me. I wanted to make her happy.” Priscilla gave a laugh at that. It cheered the both up but she soon bit her lip. Jaskier waited.

“How...How is the music business treating you lately? You’ve been working right?” Jaksier brightened to have a lighter topic. 

“Yes, I’m making enough money. You needn’t ever worry about that.” 

“Yes, but…”

“But...What?” He asks with a slight smile and a slight inward of his brow. 

“What’s your plan for when you don’t have bookings? You need financial security. I’ve seen you when you had to skip your meals-”

“Now Priscilla! I never _had _to skip my meals, I just did. I would be so cross if I couldn’t fit into my favorite waistcoats anymore. It was _never _about not having enough money.” She gave him a hard, pleading stare.____

__

__“You and I both know that’s not the full truth. You don’t have to lie to me, I want to make sure you have a plan.”_ _

__

__“I do have a plan. When I’m out of work I find new work, or I move to where there is more calling for music. Why are you so worried?”_ _

__

__“But aren’t you getting just a tad too old for this?” At that Jaskier moved back, blown by her words. He was confused and searched her face. She looked pained by her own words, but sincere._ _

__

__“What do you possibly mean?” He said slowly. Priscilla looked down at his light pink trouser leg. He liked to try and see if he could match with Priscilla most of the time. It was easy since she mainly wore blue and pink, so it was either or the other. She trailed up her gaze from his waistcoat to his eyes._ _

__

__“This job has no security. It is fun and enriching and you can be an artist for the rest of your life, you must, but is it your best choice for a career?” Jaskier looked hurt._ _

__

__“Are you not confident in my abilities? Don’t you like my music?” He wavered._ _

__

__“Of course I do. You’re an artist, a true bard at heart, but this isn’t the smartest choice. You must see. You are just barely surviving on what you make-” He breathes in a response. “And don’t you try to correct me, it’s no use. I’ve seen what your sweet heart tries to cover to not worry others.” He chews his lips and looks down between them. She was right._ _

__

__“I’m just trying to look out for you because I love you. You don’t need to live like this. You have a family fortune that you’ve left behind. You’re 25, 26? You can still go back to them and manage to become a proper businessman if you do so now.” The words swim in his head and he’s left with burning questions._ _

__

__“Why are you asking me all this? Where did it all come from? Why does it matter now?” His throat is tight._ _

__

__“Because I am making the decision for myself as well. I love being a woman of music, and I love the passion of it all, but I want stability, a family to hear my music, a future to last.”_ _

__

__“You want us to start a family? Why didn’t you say so first? Why have we been talking about all this rubbish?” She stops him before he can rise further._ _

__

__“Jaskier.” She admonishes. “Listen to me closely, because I do not mean to hurt your feelings, but” She pauses, he must hear what she has to say. “You are not a family sort of man.”_ _

__

__“What? What does that mean? I would love a family!”_ _

__

__“But didn’t you leave yours?” She contends. A weight was born into the air, but Jaskier pushes through. He redoubles his efforts._ _

__

__“I’m amazing with children, they love me! If we had any I would be utterly devoted to them-” Priscilla holds up a hand to stop him. He wants to continue to cast out these thoughts she must be having from her mind, but he feels a deeper sense of respect to hear her out._ _

__

__“My darling, your heart is not at fault here. You are sweet and kind and wonderful, I would never doubt that.” She holds his face in her hands. “...But you are not dependable, not in a family way. A family needs a parent who can be depended on, to be level headed, to not get carried away, and to do what must be done to provide security for them. Melitele knows that would be neither of us.”_ _

__

__Jaskier looks at her chin, tears welling up in his waterline. He sniffs and looks back up to her blue eyes._ _

__

__“Is this what you intended to tell me today that was important?” She remains still with a sorrowful look._ _

__

__“What do you mean by ‘neither of us?” He’s not sure if he wants an answer. His heart already knows._ _

__

__“I have received a proposal from another lord.”_ _

__

__“What? Who?!” He tries to move her hands away but she keeps him there._ _

__

__“You know why I can’t tell you yet. You’ll know one day, but it would just hurt you now. You need to focus on us right now. On my words.”_ _

__

__“No!..No.” He closes his eyes._ _

__

__“You are wonderful. One of a kind, truly. Our time was amazing together, but we need to make smart choices. For both of our happinesses. I urge you to go back to them, your family.”_ _

__

__“It was different with them, I didn't choose to be born into that family. I would choose to be with you. I would never go back to them...Please Priscilla. You won’t accept?”_ _

__

__“I must. You know why. I promise you’ll find a spouse. Anybody would be lucky to have themselves as your muse.” Tears stream down Jaskier’s cheeks. Priscilla wipes at them with her thumb and kisses right next to his eye._ _

__

__“How so? Will they not all make the same decision as you and leave me?” He launches up, gets to a knee and holds her hand._ _

__

__“Marry me, Priscilla!” Her eyes widened. She speaks as if telling her beloved child they can’t keep the dog anymore._ _

__

__“Jaskier. You know I can’t.”_ _

__

__“Yes you can, don’t be like that. This is- this has all been silly, just marry me!”_ _

__

__“Jaskier!”_ _

__

__“Please! Please, please please.” He buries his face onto her lap. His shoulder shakes and she pats his back. He soon calms down, but she stays there for him. She pet his hair and starts humming a tune while he regains breath._ _

__

__“I can feel it, Sweet Flower. There is a family for you yet that you will fit perfectly in. You can’t see it now, but they will come and you will feel that which you once felt with me in tenfold. And I know you will be happy. Please, understand why I did this. I think afterwards, we should not see each other, for only a bit. We will again soon but-”_ _

__


	2. Post Rejection Crash

The dirt crunches underneath Jaskier’s hessian boots. Bits of gravel still stuck in the sole from when he made his escape from Priscilla’s courtyard onto the trail. But there is no Priscilla and her fancy home now. Now there is only dirt and the crunch, crunch, crunch of it as he walks his way home. He could have been half way back to the inn he was staying at he thinks if he took his carriage, but he was in such a state when leaving that he waved his coachman off. He needed a good, long walk. 

In the sounds of the trees on the sides of the path he heard the birds twitter and tweet, and in them he can faintly hear snippets of Priscilla’s voice, telling him- no singing to him her departure and their exchange. His mind’s eye distorts the path in front of him to the frankly embarrassing sight of two wet spots on the front of Priscilla’s dress before he left. And before he left he indulged Priscilla in a thought that he may or may not regret saying.

How will I be able to sing now?

Good grief, he might have thought next if he didn’t hear the sounds of birds stop and rustling coming nearer. To his right on the path was a hill covered with thick bushes and he could hear something coming down from it. To add to that he can feel the treble and clopping of an oncoming carriage. He doesn’t know what to make of these until just before they come crashing into each other, literally. It seemed that the thing descending from the hill was in fact rolling down it and _giggling_ until it popped out from under the brush into the trail. 

It was a little girl with bright, white hair and the carriage was just about to trample her. The vehicle wasn’t necessarily going fast, but being hit by a carriage at any speed is sure to put you in. The coachman pulled his reins to stop the horses but it was far too late. It was up to Jaskier and he was faced with two choices, the other he didn’t even consider for a second. 

Jaskier pounced to push the girl out of the way of the carriage. He had one moment to close his eyes, his body slowing down his perception of time to give him a single moment to prepare. To prepare for the awful crunch he was going to feel reverberate through his vertebrae and gush out his sides.

But it never came. He found he couldn’t trust his senses because they seemed to be lying to him. They must have been lying to him for he could swear he felt the small hand of the girl grasp his wrist and pull him over her, out of the way of the carriage with much more strength than she ever could’ve seemed to have. 

He slowly opened his eyes, shock and a throb from where his head met the ground paralyzed him for a few seconds more as he heard the carriage screech to a stop. A man he’d never seen before, well before Jaskier saw him reach for his reins, entered his vision. It was the coachman and he was speaking to him through his dark mustache.

“I say, sir! Are you alright? Can you hear me?” He stretched out a gloved hand and held up four of his fingers. “How many fingers do you see, sir?” 

“Four. I’m fine.” The man didn’t look pleased. 

“It was two fingers, sir.” Oops. He must have landed on his head when the girl apparently threw him. He can’t complain though, he could be seeing nothing on this material plane instead. Speaking of the girl though, he felt he had just enough control to move his neck and search for her. 

“Where’s the girl? Is she okay?” He saw a blur of blue step into his vision and block the sun from his face as he looked up at her from the ground. A curious sight, two golden cat eyes stared back. A witcheress. He’d hardly seen a witcher before, never one so young, and a girl at that.

“He saved me. He needs help!” The girl cried back to the coachman. “Please, drive us to a doctor!” Jaskier wasn’t sure how he felt being taken care of by a child, but he felt no drive to admonish her. The coachman responded with eyebrows raised.

“Apologies, young miss. I agree with you that he should seek medical assistance, but I have a lady waiting.” Just then the door to the fancy dark wood carriage flies open. A displeased, but excellently tailored woman peaks her torso out. 

“Istredd, the world better be finally ending for the kind of holdup this is.” Her thin, dark brows press in, but do not wrinkle her face. 

“I'm sorry, Miss De Vries but there’s been an accident. I almost hit this young girl and this man may have sustained a concussion.” She looks as if she expected him to say more. 

“You might’ve just told me instead that you found a particularly shiny rock to admire. Now let’s press the horses and if you pray we might just get back on schedule.” She seems resolved to return inside before the young girl stands to her feet and barks.

“No! This man saved my life! We must help him! You must!” She walks to the carriage and threatens to step a foot inside. Miss De Vries holds up a threatening finger and ushers the girl back.

“The only thing I must do is obey and serve the forces of chaos, and you don’t look like that.” The woman, no doubt a mage, re-examined her. “Well, not yet at least.” Jaskier couldn’t see the girl’s reaction from his stay on the ground. The mage thinks for a moment, mulling some thought around in her head with a slight flutter of her fingers. “The only reason I haven’t caned Istredd and turned you into some wretch to match your insolence is your rare figure, witcher girl.” Jaskier sputters a thought that seemed rather witty in his head. 

“S’very strong.” The mage flicks her eyes to him and then back to the girl.

“Please, let us ride in your carriage to town Miss De Vries. I can’t leave him here and I can’t carry him home.” Jaskier wondered if she very much could carry him home or if the strength was of a moment’s rush. Either or, something made a decision in the back of Miss De Vries’ elegant, bonnet adorned head. Perhaps a calling or general interest to see how this might turn out won over, or maybe it was more. Jaskier could still feel traces of something old and alien in his hand where the girl touched it. This was truly an odd girl indeed, and it seemed the world might grant her her way unlike it does for just anybody. The mage kept her gaze and made a movement with her hand. 

“Istredd, help the man after the girl and then promptly step on it will you?” Everyone jumped into action. Istredd lifted Jaskier up by his arms, not as easily as the girl had before, his mind supplied. She slid into the seats and further pulled Jaskier in when Istredd had done all he could. Miss De Vries sat opposite of them and didn’t lift a finger from the small, leather bound book on her lap to help, yet she watched with feigned disinterest. Istredd shut the door to quickly get back to his riding seat and the carriage began to blessedly move again. 

The curtains over the windows were sheer inside. Jaskier watched the movements of the landscape through it while rubbing the side of his head. He noticed the girl’s frame inch inside his peripheral and turned to her. 

“Are you okay?” The girl pleaded. The mage deadpanned. 

“He better not be after all the previous moment’s theatre.” She says with less bite than might’ve been expected. She's sophisticated after all. Jaskier looks between them and gives a somewhat crooked smile to the young witcher.

“Now that I’m sitting I think the world doesn’t spin so much. I’m fine now, but I’m not sure how far I’d’ve made it on foot. My thanks to you two, or three.” He flicks his eyes above and smiles at the girl again, more securely now. She smiles back. It’s touching. The girl doesn’t know him at all and yet she seems beyond relieved to see him alright. “I’m Jaskier.” It only seems polite. He holds out his hand to her. She shook his hand.

“Ciri.” The pronunciation tugs her mouth to show a toothier smile than Jaskier anticipated. She seemed to have little fangs, bless her. 

“My, my, my, what teeth you have. Where’d you get those?” She laughed and covered her mouth with her hand. She fixed her strange eyes on him again. 

“Not my father, I believe.” He laughed back at her, although admittedly not entirely understanding what she meant. He got to look at her now that they were settled in for the ride. She wore a white, flowy dress with loose pantaloons underneath of the same linen that poked out to cover her ankles. A blue silk sash wrapped around her waist to tie in the back and a long cloak of a more royal blue covered her shoulders. Her hair seemed to have been in many ringlets before, but the rolling or Gods knew whatever she was doing undid at least quarter of them. Leaves and flecks of dirt stuck out from the light strands still. 

“And just what were you doing rolling down that hill might I ask? I’m sure you know you could have been killed.” He talks to her while picking out a leaf. She tries to keep down a smile as she explains. 

“I was playing by myself and jumped onto a wall. I wanted to test my agility on it and tumbled down the other side. I didn’t get hurt though.” She looked up at him apologetically. “But you did. I’m very sorry.” The child had charm. Jaskier knew there was no universe where he couldn’t forgive her. 

“It’s all fine now. Although,” He brushes ring-laden fingers on his dusty pant legs. “These are just about ruined I’d say.” 

“Oh no. You’ll have to get a new pair.” She frowns. “Such a nice color too. I ruined them.” Jaskier stopped minding his pants and faced her. He dispelled her guilt with his waving hand.

“I’m not sure I liked them anymore anyway.” He looked down, remembering the mess he’d made earlier. His eyes lit up for a moment. “Oh, I was fond of the matching hat I had though. Must have lost it in the crash.” Ciri brightened up and reached behind her.

“No you didn’t. I picked it up!” She held the hat proudly up for him to receive. He grinned at her.

“You’ve saved my hat! I’ll have to forgive you for everything now, so don’t worry about it anymore.” She beamed. He didn’t take the hat back yet though. He looked at it and ran a finger across the ribbon. Oh, Priscilla. “You can keep that actually. I don’t have the pants for it anymore.” He took the top hat to place it on top of her curls. The action hid the falter in his smile from her eyes. 

“It clashes.” The sorceress speaks up, eyes not leaving her book. Ciri and Jaskier chuckled. 

“I’m not sure I can take this.” Ciri takes the hat off her head and rubs her thumb on the brim. 

“Well, if when we reach town you’re still unsure I can take it back. No harm.” Jaskier offers. He watches her nod. He wonders where her home is and if she’d not too far. 

“What were you doing playing alone in the woods? Does your family know?” 

“They’ll be fine. I just wanted to go out for a bit. I wanted to cheer myself up.” 

“Cheer yourself up? You were sad?” He tries to question casually, as not to interrogate her. Her eyes flick to Miss De Vries for a moment. Jaskier’s not sure if the mage can tell that sort of thing. 

“Perhaps it’s not best I say such personal things. I might just get sad again.” Jaskier wanted to avoid upsetting her, but he could tell the discretion seemed to be more about the company than reigniting any feelings. Miss De Vries seemed to catch wind and scanned them for a moment. Then she shut her book and peered at the curtains. He spoke.

“I understand. If I didn’t slam headfirst into a horseshoe’s path I would probably still be brooding away all the way home. And that's very unflattering on my complexion.” Ciri laughed but stopped herself. 

“Oh no, why were you upset?” Jaskier already knew his answer. He replied with a wink.

“Perhaps it’s not best I say such personal things.”

Miss De Vries stopped looking out and knocked on the carriage. It stopped abruptly. “We’ve made it.” Jaskier turns to her to thank profusely. 

“Thank you, kind lady, I would’ve been-” Istredd opens the door and she points.

“Out, now.” Jaskier nods and Istredd helps yank him out the doors.

“Oh, well then. Yes, you have me, I’m good.” She watches them struggle a bit as he’s finally lifted out of the carriage. Jaskier brushes himself off and turns back to her on the trail. “Goodbye then, Ciri!” He waves with a call back to her, but the shut door cuts him off from anything more.

She was disappointed to see him go. She would’ve accompanied him to the doctor if she could. That strange feeling inside her suggested that perhaps then this wasn’t the last time they’d meet. Not if she had any say. 

The carriage moved on. Ciri looked at the top hat in her lap. He forgot to take it. She could sense Miss De Vries staring at her.

“Go on, where is it you live? I’ll arrange you transport.” Ciri looked up to meet her gaze. 

“Thank you Madame, but I can make it home myself. I was not injured.” The sorceress raised a brow. 

“It was a long way and you are but a child. Your parents might be furious, and I’m not keen on being hunted by witchers.” Ciri smiled. 

“They don’t need to know about any of this. Besides, I’m fast.” 

He thinks she looked sad, and he felt like he didn’t want to leave her just yet either. They were just getting into a lovely conversation. He sees Ciri wave and the door slaps shut. He stares at it for a moment when he feels Istredd place his hands on his shoulders and turn him away.

“That door there is the doctor. I wish you good luck and good health. I have to leave at once.” Jaskier turns back to him. 

“I don’t doubt it. She runs a tight ship- er carriage.” Istredd doesn’t laugh and returns to his seat. Jaskier wonders where they might drop Ciri off, or if she’s now Miss De Vries’. The carriage sets off with a crack of Istredd’s reins and he watches the big wheels turn away. 

He sniffs and turns back to where Istredd pointed. Within a few steps he’s bracing forearm against the nearest wall. The walking aggravated the thrum in his head and his feet wavered beneath him. He makes it to the door and the realization hits him, just as he places his hand on the knob. 

He doesn’t have the money for a doctor visit. Not now anyway. Priscilla’s words echo in his mind. Not even enough money to care for himself, that has to violate some rule of basic needs. Maybe he _was _getting a tad old for this. His dream. Wherever this was going he wasn’t going to entertain it anymore. It wasn’t a path his sloshing mind could handle right now. All his wallet could handle would be for him to ungrasp the doorknob and leave, so he did.__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking for another chapter! Again I'm @fangtacular1 on twitter. Geralt will be in the next chapter. I'll try to update at the very least once a week. 
> 
> Suggestions, comments, and notes are always appreciated. <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'm @fangtacular1 on twitter if you wanna scream about the story, I'd love it. Thank you again for enjoying. Geralt will enter soon I swear.


End file.
